Help..double socket wiring...

[Matt46]

good evening to one and all.

I am truly grateful if anyone can help with the following.

Was trying to do my good deed for the day...it’s all gone wrong. Off to my in laws I went to change two double wall sockets, because one of them was damaged. I purchased two new double wall sockets. I removed the first socket off the wall, they are both next to each other. Not sure why, perhaps one was added at a later date. On removing the first socket, I discovered the following....

4 live wires (3 red and 1 brown)
4 neutral wires (3 black and 1 blue)
Several earth wires twisted together.

I should have walked away!! I undid the terminals and tried to fit the new socket, a total bloody nightmare trying to fit 4 wires into each fitting. Kept falling out as soon as you put the others in etc. Eventually got the wires in, though the new socket had 2 earth terminals, and I split the earth wires between them. Took me 2 hours!!! So frustrating!!

The socket adjacent, was removed, had only 1 live, 1 neutral and 2 earths, and was replaced in minutes.

I switched on the master fuse board, and everything appeared to work fine on the 2 new sockets.

But 1 socket downstairs in the kitchen now appears not to be working...

Ahhhhh.

My thoughts.....though probably wrong...

Has wire fallen out when refitting the socket back onto the wall.
Splitting the earths has caused a problem.

It took so long to do....don’t want to take it off the wall....just yet..

Thanks

Matt

 

[Squid]

Jesus can you not post something without innuendo.

Hit a nerve I see......... ;o))))))

 

[westward10]

Hit a nerve I see......... ;o))))))

Nope I just find it childish and tiresome.

 

[Squid]

Nope I just find it childish and tiresome.

Place me on ignore then if you do so, simple......

 

[Deleted member 105166]

25mm box I'd wager, and you had to use brute force to hold the socket in place as you screwed it back on, going from one screw to the other and back again. This is when a wire has come adrift. 35mm box, you'd have been ok.

 

[Deleted member 105166]

duplicate post deleted

 

[littlespark]

These sockets are next to each other? Is it possible to rewire between them both are on the ring, with one spur coming out of each? That way both sockets will have 3 T&E's rather than 4.
If cables are short, you could joint in the back of the first socket - which I think someone already mentioned.
If its a plasterboard wall, you could use a 'maintenance free' jointbox behind the sockets... but I doubt it.
Splitting the earth wires makes no difference. The earth terminals on the back of the socket are on the same piece of metal.

I just realised this thread is over a week old. I'm guessing you got it sorted by now